Drowning Pool’s newest single, “Saturday Night” is all about living every day like’s it’s a party. This Saturday, Drowning Pool, along with Flyleaf and Stars in Stereo brought that feel good party vibe to Boise. The three band’s landed at The Knitting Factory March 16 for one of the month’s many huge shows.
Los Angeles rockers, Stars in Stereo started the night off, playing a tight 30 minute set of modern rock packed with cinematic flourishes and pop sensibility. The quintet even slipped in a cover of Aerosmith’s “Dream On”, to huge applause. The band is comprised of vocalist Bec Hollcraft, bassist Justin Siegel, drummer Drew Langan, and guitarists Jordan McGraw and Ryan ‘Frogs’ McCormick. They will release their debut album on April 9.
Boise fans who enjoyed the band’s performance, or for those who missed it, can see Stars in Stereo when they return to the Treasure Valley on April 14 at the Revolution Concert House with Bullet For My Valentine, Halestorm and Young Guns.
I sat down with Bec and Jordan before the band’s performance to find out how they came together. You can view the interview below. They discussed their vision for the band, personal influences and the making of the video for their hit “Broken”, a song which closed the show’s set. Stars in Stereo is getting ready to shoot the video for the song “Every Last Thing” next.
Drowning Pool is set to return with its fifth album, “Resilience” as well on April 9. “Resilience” marks a new chapter for the band, marking the fourth singer of the band’s 17 year career, which began in 1996. Formed by Pierce, drummer Mike Luce and bassist Stevie Benton, original singer Dave Williams joined in 1999. Williams performed on Drowning Pool’s 2001 debut “Sinner” but died in 2002 at only 30 years old of cardiomyopathy. Thus began the band’s almost Spinal Tap-ish revolving door of vocalists.
New vocalist Jasen Moreno should be the band’s last. Having witnessed Moreno perform with Drowning Pool I can state unequivocally that they have found the voice to replace original vocalist Williams. He can hit the higher and lower registers while bringing his own unique energy, style and enthusiasm to the stage. The band is so excited they are already writing material for the next album and “Resilience” has yet to hit stores.
On this night the band tore through tracks from all five albums including the singles “Saturday Night” and “One Finger and a Fist” from “Resilience” and other hits including “Step Up”, “Feel Like I Do”, “37 Stitches” and “Soldiers”. Of course they closed it all out with their massive legacy hit, “Bodies” during which members of Stars in Stereo and the road crew helped out on.
Prior to the show the band performed an acoustic set for 100.3 The X, including their own version of the aforementioned Aerosmith classic, “Dream On”. I had the opportunity to sit down with C.J. Pierce prior to the show. You can watch that interview here.
Closing it all out was Texas quintet, Flyleaf. Like Drowning Pool the band is touring in support of a new album, “New Horizons” and with a new singer, Kristen May. May took over vocal duties for original singer, Lacey Mosley Sturm after she stepped down October 2012 to concentrate on her family.
For most attendees, this was their first experience hearing and seeing May perform, and she did not disappoint. The entire band; Sameer Bhattacharya (guitar), Jared Hartmann (guitar) Pat Seals (bass), James Culpepper (drums), and May put on a stunning 18 song set full of unbelievable energy. Flyleaf performed seven of the 11 tracks off “New Horizons” as well as hits like “Again”, “Arise”, “Cassie”, “All Around Me”, and the show closer, “I’m So Sick” from their 2005 self-titled debut album. Noticeably missing was their hit, “Missing” from 2009’s “Momento Mori”.
Prior to the show I sat down with Jared Hartmann to discuss the new album, singer and tour, as well as his passion for food. Check it out here.
Music is the universal language: Speak it loudly!
Rustyn Rose is a veteran music journalist who owns and operates Metalholic Magazine and Metalholic Radio.
Comments